@anhducmata/git-manager

Instantly switch between multiple Git accounts (SSH keys + user config) on a single machine.

If you use multiple GitHub/GitLab accounts on one laptop (e.g. Work + Personal), this CLI tool lets you switch between them in seconds — including the SSH key, so git push always goes to the right account.

✨ Features

• Per-repo config — gitm init sets the account locally for each repo (recommended)
• Global switch — gitm switch changes the global config when you need it
• Auto-generates SSH keys — creates a dedicated ed25519 key per profile
• No more SSH conflicts — uses core.sshCommand with IdentitiesOnly=yes so Git always uses the correct key
• Interactive prompts — no flags to memorize, just follow the menu
• Lightweight — zero config files to edit manually

📦 Installation

npm install -g @anhducmata/git-manager

After installing, the gitm command is available globally.

🚀 Quick Start

1. Add your first account

gitm new

You'll be asked for:

• Profile name — a label like Work or Personal
• Git user.name — the name that appears on your commits
• Git user.email — the email tied to your Git provider
• SSH key — press Enter to auto-generate a new ed25519 key, or provide a path to an existing one

After the key is generated, the tool prints your public key so you can copy it into GitHub/GitLab:

ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3Nza... [email protected]

💡 Add this key to your Git provider:

• GitHub: Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key
• GitLab: Preferences → SSH Keys → Add new key

2. Add your second account

gitm new

Repeat the same process for your other account (e.g. Personal).

3. Set account per repo (recommended)

cd ~/projects/work-project
gitm init

This sets the Git user + SSH key locally for that repo only. Other repos are not affected.

4. Or switch globally

gitm switch

This changes the global Git config — useful when you want to quickly switch everything at once.

📖 Commands

| Command | Description | |---|---| | gitm new | Add a new Git account with SSH key | | gitm init | Set account for current repo (local config) | | gitm switch | Switch global git account | | gitm list / gitm ls | Show all saved accounts + current active user | | gitm remove | Remove a saved account (optionally delete its SSH key) | | gitm --help | Show help |

🔧 How It Works

gitm init (local, per-repo) and gitm switch (global) both do the same three things:

# 1. Set Git identity
git config [--local|--global] user.name "Your Name"
git config [--local|--global] user.email "[email protected]"

# 2. Force Git to use the correct SSH key
git config [--local|--global] core.sshCommand "ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_gm_work -o IdentitiesOnly=yes"

💡 Tip: Use gitm init per repo so each project is permanently tied to the right account. Use gitm switch only when you need a quick global change.

The IdentitiesOnly=yes flag is critical — it tells SSH to only use the specified key and ignore any other keys loaded in your SSH agent. This prevents the common problem where git push uses the wrong account.

📁 Where Data Is Stored

| Path | Contents | |---|---| | ~/.config/git-manager/accounts.json | Your saved profiles | | ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_gm_<profile> | Auto-generated SSH private keys | | ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_gm_<profile>.pub | Auto-generated SSH public keys |

❓ FAQ

Can I use an existing SSH key instead of generating a new one?

Yes! When gitm new asks for the SSH key path, just type the full path to your existing key instead of pressing Enter:

? Enter SSH key path: /Users/you/.ssh/id_rsa

Should I use gitm init or gitm switch?

Use gitm init — it sets config locally per repo, so each project always uses the correct account. Use gitm switch only when you need a quick global change and don't want to configure each repo individually.

What if I already have ~/.ssh/config set up?

This tool uses core.sshCommand which overrides ~/.ssh/config for Git operations. Your SSH config still works for non-Git SSH connections (like ssh myserver).

🤝 Contributing

PRs welcome! Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests.

📄 License

ISC